Maria Goretti | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Goretti, 1929 | |
| Virgin and martyr | |
| Born | 16 October 1890 Corinaldo, Province of Ancona, Marche, Kingdom of Italy |
| Died | 6 July 1902 (aged 11) Nettuno, Province of Rome, Lazio, Kingdom of Italy |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 27 April 1947, Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City by Pope Pius XII[1] |
| Canonized | 24 June 1950, Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City by Pope Pius XII |
| Major shrine | Nettuno, Province of Rome, Lazio, Italy |
| Feast | 6 July (General Roman Calendar & Passionist Calendar) |
| Attributes | lily; farmer's clothing; martyr's palm |
| Patronage | Forgiveness, chastity, temptations to impurity, victims of rape, teenagers, modern youth, Children of Mary |
Maria Teresa Goretti (Italian: [maˈriːa teˈrɛːza ɡoˈretti]; 16 October 1890 – 6 July 1902) was an Italian virgin martyr of the Catholic Church, and one of the youngest saints to be canonized.[1] She was born to a farming family. Her father died when she was nine, and the family had to share a house with another family, the Serenellis. She took over household duties while her mother and siblings worked in the fields.
One afternoon, Alessandro, the Serenellis' 20-year-old son, made sexual advances to her. When she refused to submit to him, he stabbed her 14 times. She was taken to the hospital but she died while forgiving him. He was arrested, convicted, and jailed. During imprisonment, he repented. After 27 years, he was released from prison and visited her mother to beg forgiveness, which she granted. He later became a lay brother in a Capuchin monastery and died in 1970. Maria was beatified in 1947 and canonized in 1950. She is especially venerated in the Congregation of the Passion (Passionists).